Crime

JSA Shares Holiday Weekend Security Tips Amid Spike in Burglaries

CrimeJul 03, 2025

JSA Shares Holiday Weekend Security Tips Amid Spike in Burglaries

JSA’s Scott Guginsky provided a list of nine security measures jewelers should observe while locking up for the long weekend.

Stock image of police cars with their lights on
The Jewelers’ Security Alliance is sharing security tips for jewelry stores and business ahead of a holiday weekend.
Editor's Note: This story was originally published ahead of Memorial Day weekend and has been updated ahead of the Fourth of July weekend.

New York—The Jewelers’ Security Alliance sent out an alert just before Memorial Day about a rash of “high-tech” burglaries impacting jewelers from Maryland to California, an alert that’s once again pertinent ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

These burglaries are more involved than a typical breaking and entering, normally involving cutting through a store’s roof or sidewalls, disabling the alarm system and using jammers—which are illegal to buy and possess—to block the cellular back-up system, and gaining entry to the safe.

“These are not fly-by-night burglars; these are professional burglary crews,” JSA Executive Vice President Scott Guginsky said in an interview in late May.

In the alert, JSA said it has received reports of professional crews targeting stores in five states between February and mid-May.

The list includes two stores in Cook County, Illinois, the center of the Chicago metropolitan area—one on April 20 and one on May 10—as well as five stores in California.

Cell phone jammer in action emitting green light
This security camera still from a Los Angeles jewelry business that was broken into on May 13 shows two would-be burglars using a cell phone jammer. (Photo courtesy of Jewelers’ Security Alliance)


The most recent professional burglary recounted in the May alert took place in Los Angeles. 

According to JSA, on May 13 at approximately 10:30 p.m., at least three individuals broke through a common wall that a second-floor jewelry business, which is not open to the public, shares with a neighboring business. 

The suspects disabled the alarm system and cellular backup by employing a cell phone jammer that emits green light (seen above) but fled without taking anything.  

Guginsky said the industry has seen a spike in high-tech, professional burglaries recently.

JSA’s annual crime statistics report for 2024, released in May, shows that while the number of crimes against U.S. jewelry business dropped 12 percent year-over-year, dollar losses rose 7 percent, primarily due to on-premises burglaries. 

The organization noted in the report that the industry saw a significant increase in the severity of losses resulting from professional burglaries perpetrated by “highly mobile” gangs from South America.

Guginsky said professional burglary crews don’t roll into town the day they plan to commit a burglary. They come in as much as a week ahead of time, often staying in short-term rental housing, and watch. 

They watch when and how jewelers close up their stores, sometimes setting up cameras behind the store, in the woods adjacent to the store, or on a nearby roof that they can watch from their cell phone.    

Guginsky said the perpetrators also could be sending people—sometimes a man and a woman, other times just a man—into the jewelry store they are targeting to case it, to see what the layout is and what type of jewelry and watches are in the display cases.  

They will be people unknown in the community who may ask questions that have nothing to do with buying jewelry, like asking to use the bathroom or inquiring about the store’s hours for the holiday weekend. 

“Most jewelers know there’s something up,” Guginsky said. “They just don’t feel right.”

He said crews also have been known to put GPS trackers on jewelers’ cars, and recently there have “multiple” recoveries of cameras placed around jewelers’ houses, such as in a flowerpot outside.

 Related stories will be right here … 

Ahead of a holiday weekend, Guginsky offered the following tips for jewelers, many of whom might be heading out of town and/or closing their stores for longer than usual.

Make sure the emergency call list is updated. There has to be someone who’s available to respond if there’s a communication error, power failure, unusual motion activation, etc., at the store.

“Jewelers have to take this seriously, especially heading into a holiday weekend. They have to be on high alert and they have to be responsive to their stores,” Guginsky said.

If someone has to go to the store, go with the police and make sure they inspect all access points—all the doors, the roofs, and any walls that abut another business. 

Do not ignore red flags, meaning any unusual pre-holiday weekend incidents that happen in or around the store.

Don’t keep laboratory grading reports in the safe with the diamonds.

Don’t leave jewelry out over the holiday weekend because if the perpetrators can’t get into the safe, then they will take what they can get.

Don’t cover showcases.

Whoever is closing up on the last day needs to be cognizant of the fact that they might be being watched. They should circle the parking lot and make sure there are no suspicious vehicles circling the store.

Advise and educate landlords/property owners and the local police of the rash of professional jewelry store burglaries.

“You should always make friends with your local police,” Guginsky said. “Let them know what’s going on.”

Report any suspicious activity to JSA at jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org

The Latest

Peter Smith National Jeweler columnist
ColumnistsOct 01, 2025
Peter Smith: Why Vendor Success Starts With Self-Reflection

Smith shares the importance of looking at your company with openness and honesty to identify opportunities you may be missing.

Plah Black Swan Earrings
EditorsOct 01, 2025
Playing Favorites: The Best Jewelry From Vicenzaoro

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco visited Italy to spot jewelry trends at the September Vicenzaoro show and share her top finds.

People shopping in a mall
SurveysOct 01, 2025
Consumer Confidence Hits 5-Month Low in September

Respondents were concerned about job availability and rising prices.

gia-edu main image.png
Brought to you by
A Brilliant Future Is Here

Online education from GIA experts.

Gemfields rough emeralds
FinancialsOct 01, 2025
Gemfields’ H1 Revenue Falls 47%

Its latest interim financials revealed a challenging first half due in part to production troubles at its mines.

Weekly QuizSep 25, 2025
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Pandora executives Alexander Lacik and Berta de Pablos-Barbier
MajorsSep 30, 2025
Pandora CEO to Retire in 2026, Hand Reins to CMO

Alexander Lacik has led Pandora since 2019. Berta de Pablos-Barbier will succeed him, the first woman to head the company.

Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell John Hardy Lovestruck Collection
CollectionsSep 30, 2025
Billie Eilish, Finneas Partner with John Hardy

The “Lovestruck” collection, designed with the Academy and Grammy award-winning siblings, is the brand’s first lab-grown diamond offering.

reDollar-fine-jewelry-department.jpg
Brought to you by
reDollar.com Is Rolling Out the Next Level Jewelry, Diamond & Watch Consignment Program

With their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.

Spinelli Kilcollin Market Highland Park
IndependentsSep 30, 2025
Spinelli Kilcollin Announces Residency in Dallas

The brand, celebrating its 15th anniversary, has popped up at Market, a luxury fashion destination in Highland Park Village.

Nina Pugliese Henne Jewelers
IndependentsSep 29, 2025
Nina Pugliese, Longtime Henne Jewelers Employee, Dies at 65

She was remembered as a creative and generous woman of faith, who also had a sweet tooth.

Kwait White and Yellow Gold Diamond Earrings
TrendsSep 29, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Ear Focus

Move over neck mess, the ear story is the way to make a layering statement today.

Mark Henry Leandra Medine Cohen
IndependentsSep 29, 2025
Mark Henry Jewelry to Debut in Canada

The New York-based brand is set to launch a limited-time offering for the holiday season at Holt Renfrew in Toronto.

Overnight volume 7 bridal catalog
MajorsSep 29, 2025
Overnight Releases New Bridal Catalog

The “Volume 7” bridal catalog features best-selling engagement rings, trending styles, and a new section highlighting anniversary bands.

Hand holding holiday shopping bags
SurveysSep 26, 2025
Online Shopping, Influencers to Drive Holiday Spending, Mastercard Says

Holiday sales growth is expected to slow as consumers grapple with inflation and tariff-related uncertainty.

Austin Shines Jewelry Award
Events & AwardsSep 26, 2025
Winners of Austin Jewelry Design Contest Announced

Jamie Turner Designs is among the winners of the local “Austin Shines” contest, hosted by Eliza Page, a jewelry store in Austin, Texas.

Kwit Square Signet Pinky Ring in Red and Azure
TrendsSep 26, 2025
Piece of the Week: Kwit Jewelry’s Square Signet Pinky Ring

The red and azure colorway is one of many fun enamel pairings offered, bringing whimsy to the classic style of a monogramed signet ring.

Jewelers of America Fly In
Policies & IssuesSep 25, 2025
JA CEO Provides Tariff Update Following Annual Fly-In

A trade deal with Switzerland seems probable, but reaching an agreement with India remains a challenge, David Bonaparte said.

Entrance to Jwaneng diamond mine in Botswana
SourcingSep 25, 2025
2 African Countries Aim to Take Stake in De Beers

Botswana’s president said his country wants a controlling share, while Angola envisions multiple countries holding minority stakes.

Kira Jewels Growing Rowing Machines
Lab-GrownSep 25, 2025
Kira Jewels Expands Lab-Grown Diamond Production

The manufacturer is adding 1,400 chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactors to its growing facility in India.

Alex Moss SoHo store
IndependentsSep 25, 2025
Alex Moss’ New Flagship Brings Bold Jewels to SoHo

The jeweler to the stars has worked with Drake, A$AP Rocky, Tyler the Creator, and other celebrities.

Matthew Wilson, Kavin Kulamavalava, and a Elmasolvex VA
WatchesSep 25, 2025
Wilson & Son Jewelers Donates to the Horological Society of New York

The Scarsdale, New York-based jeweler donated a professional-grade watch cleaning machine.

Representatives of India’s Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council and Indian government leaders
Policies & IssuesSep 24, 2025
Tariffs Throw Diamond Trade Into Disarray

The 50 percent tariffs on diamonds shipped from India to the U.S. have pushed midstream manufacturers to the edge.

Father’s Day diamond advertisement that ran in India
SourcingSep 24, 2025
De Beers Adopts New Strategies to Drive Natural Diamond Demand in India

De Beers’ refreshed, multipronged approach, which includes generic promotions and retail partnerships, is delivering positive dividends.

Policies & IssuesSep 24, 2025
For Jewelry Manufacturers, Higher Tariffs Create Long-Term Worries

They are trying to balance the need to sustain well-established relationships with the pressure higher tariffs have put on margins.

Guest lecture for people with disabilities at the Jewelex factory
SourcingSep 24, 2025
A Helping Hand: An Effort to Boost Inclusivity in the Industry

Jewelry manufacturer Jewelex has partnered with JOSH, an industry training center, on a program for people with disabilities.

Greenwich St. Jewelers Estate Capsule Campaign
CollectionsSep 24, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Goes Back in Time With First Estate Collection

The collection includes pieces dating back to the Victorian and Art Deco periods as well as mid-century and late 20th-century designs.

Marcus ter Haar
Policies & IssuesSep 24, 2025
Diamonds Do Good Names Marcus ter Haar as President-Elect

He previously served as co-chair of the nonprofit’s beneficiary committee.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy